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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25208338">The Good Jedi</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Force Bond (Star Wars), Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Mace Windu is a jerk in this, Master &amp; Padawan Relationship(s), Mentioned Qui-Gon Jinn, Nightmares, Obi-Wan Kenobi Has PTSD, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Sick Anakin Skywalker, Sickfic, Story within a Story, Young Anakin Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:54:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25208338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two months into Anakin's apprenticeship, Obi-wan is sent away to aid in negotiations on a war-torn planet, while Anakin stays behind. When Obi-wan returns, grief-stricken and worn down, his unkempt emotions running through their brand new Force bond cause Anakin physical pain. While Obi-wan takes care of his young Padawan, he is forced to relive the events that caused his shields to fall in the first place.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Mace Windu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>170</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Newly appointed Padawan Anakin Skywalker sat cross-legged on the floor of his room. He was surrounded by what looked like an explosion of spare parts and small hand tools, but he was perfectly content in the midst of the controlled chaos. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had been here for hours, but to him, it felt like no time had passed at all. He was always at his calmest and most focused when he worked with machines. In this case, he was working on making an upgrade to a maintenance droid. He got a sort of smug satisfaction fixing the droids that would later go on to fix other machines. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin was in the apartment alone. Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi had been sent to accompany Mace Windu on a diplomatic mission to the war-torn planet of Tralus. The planet was in the midst of a bloody rebellion, and the Jedi were called upon to help the leaders of either side come to some sort of agreement. The Jedi Masters wanted Obi-wan along for the mission – even at such a young age, he was proving himself to be a gifted negotiator. However, the Jedi Masters agreed that it was probably best not to drag Anakin into another war-zone so soon after the battle of Naboo, especially since the bond between Master and Apprentice was so new. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin struggled to hide his disappointment when Obi-wan told him he would be leaving Coruscant without him. He outright failed to hide his disappointment when Obi-wan told him he would be leaving Coruscant without him for a full month.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “A month?!” Anakin had exclaimed. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “Please lower your voice, Anakin,” Obi-wan said quietly, a blush growing on his cheeks as the other nearby Jedi in the mess hall stared at the unlikely pair.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “A month?” Anakin asked again, this time in a whisper. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “Yes, Padawan. I’m so sorry. I promise to make it up to you when I return okay?” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Anakin pondered this a moment. “When you get back, can we do extra lightsaber training?” he asked hopefully. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Obi-wan let out a small laugh. He had gotten off pretty easy. He loved lightsaber training with Anakin. Obi-wan was one of the most talented swordsmen The Order had seen, but after only a few training sessions with Anakin, he knew his status would soon be rivaled. “Yes, we can do extra lightsaber training.”  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Anakin’s demeanor seemed to brighten, and Obi-wan was pleased to feel a small amount of warmth tug at the other end of his bond with Anakin. He tried to stoke the small flame of their bond by sending some affection of his own towards Anakin. The boy seemed to brighten even more.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> After finishing their evening meals, Anakin and Obi-wan walked back to their shared quarters where together they packed a small travel bag for Obi-wan. The next morning, he stood on the landing platform and waved goodbye to his new Master as well as the somewhat intimidating Master Mace Windu. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been three weeks since then. This meant that Obi-wan would return in about a week. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin couldn’t wait. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>While Anakin was inherently an independent child, capable of taking care of himself despite his young age, he was starting to get rather lonely all by himself in the apartment. Being alone allowed his mind to wander to far off places. To Tatooine. He knew he was supposed to let his mother go, but a small part of him knew that he never truly would.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, Anakin wasn’t completely alone all the time. Obi-wan ensured that. He took lengths to make sure Anakin attended all of his classes by telling his teachers that if he didn’t come to class, he was to be tracked down and made to do extra meditation practices. Additionally, Jedi Master Plo Koon had offered to check in on Anakin daily to make sure he was alright. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin really liked Master Plo Koon. At first, he had been a little afraid of the Kel Dorian because of his mask, but it didn’t take long for that fear to wear off. The man radiated kindness in his Force presence and Anakin was always a little happier when he was around. That’s why Anakin quickly snapped out of the intense concentration he had going with the maintenance droid he was upgrading when he heard the door of the apartment open and shut. He was excited to see the Kel Dorian at his nightly check-in. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As he stood up, he was a little surprised to feel a small headache coming on. Anakin ignored it and bounded into the common living space, practically bouncing on the balls of his bare feet, ready to greet Master Plo. Anakin paused quickly as he noticed the figure before him was not the friendly Kel Dorian, but a rather familiar-looking human.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Obi-wan!” Anakin yelled excitedly as he ran towards his Master. He threw his arms around Obi-wan. The force of his embrace caught Obi-wan off guard and he staggered backward a few steps, grunting softly as he was pushed back against the door.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey Anakin,” Obi-wan said quietly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin quickly pulled away and looked Obi-wan up and down suspiciously. When Anakin hugged him, he felt thinner than he had been when he left. He looked thinner too. His skin was pale and it emphasized the dark circles under his normally bright blue eyes, but those eyes looked dimmer somehow. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought you weren’t going to be able to come back until next week?” Anakin questioned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My mission concluded early. Now I get to be back here with you,” Obi-wan said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Master, are you alright?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> The boy sure is intuitive </em>, Obi-wan thought ruefully to himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m fine little one, just tired from the journey is all.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you hungry? I have some leftovers from evening meal you can have.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s very kind of you Ani, but I’m okay. I ate on the journey back to Coruscant.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t technically a lie, Obi-wan thought to himself. He <em> had </em>eaten something on the way back from Tralus. The fact that Tralus was a three-day flight from Coruscant was an irrelevant fact.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m eager to hear about what you’ve been up to while I was away, but I would prefer it wait until tomorrow if that’s alright with you young one.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, Master.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Obi-wan gave Anakin another half-hearted smile as he retreated to his bedroom. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin stood in their living room, pondering the state of his Master. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to fend off the headache blossoming behind his eyes. Just as he was about to make his own way into his room, Master Plo knocked lightly and entered the apartment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Anakin, how are you this evening?” Master Plo said in his polite way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m okay. Actually, Obi-wan just got back. He’s in his room, but he said his mission ended a little early. I guess you don’t need to come and check on me anymore,” Anakin said a little sadly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I’m glad your Master had returned safe and sound to you, young Skywalker.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, me too,” Anakin said, but there was an unmistakable hesitation in his voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is something wrong, Anakin?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anakin hesitated. He wasn’t sure if something was actually wrong or if Obi-wan was genuinely just exhausted. “Well… I’m not sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not sure how?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s Obi-wan. I think something might be wrong with him, but I don’t know what.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is he ill? Does he need to see a healer?” Plo questioned gently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s that bad. I think he may just be tired.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay, Anakin. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to call me okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you, Master Plo.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course, young Skywalker.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Obi-wan staggered into his room. He dropped his small travel bag unceremoniously near the doorway. He shucked off his boots and his robe but didn’t bother to change into sleep clothes before he lay down heavily in his bed.</p>
<p>He really did try to meditate on the events of the past few weeks, he knew he needed to release his pain into the Force, but his own exhaustion got the better of him and he felt himself falling into a deep sleep for the first time in several days. </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sheer, unadulterated terror.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That is the only way to accurately describe the feeling Anakin felt coursing through his bond with Obi-wan in the early hours of the morning. The feeling was so strong it awoke him from his sleep and made him feel a little dizzy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t quite yet used to feeling someone else’s emotions or hearing someone else’s thoughts in his head. Over their short time together, Obi-wan gently coaxed their bond to try and strengthen it slowly over time, but Anakin had never felt anything like this. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fear of his own was quickly building up inside of the young Jedi in training. A million questions raced through his mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is Obi-wan hurt? Did someone break in? Are we under attack?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin stood up and tried to ignore the way the room spun and the nausea that bubbled in his stomach. As quickly as he could, he made his way to his Master’s room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Obi-wan?” he called softly through the door. He felt a little awkward just standing there. Just as he was starting to think he imagined the whole thing he felt another pang of fear course through their bond and with it a sharp pain in his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to shake off the ache in his head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin didn’t bother knocking a second time. He strode through Obi-wan’s door and quickly saw that his Master was lying safe and sound in his bed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a second, relief flooded Anakin’s veins until he got closer to Obi-wan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His pale skin was drenched in sweat and his brow was furrowed. His ginger hair, which was still growing out from his traditional Padawan cut, was matted down with sweat and sticking up in odd spots.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, please, no. Not him. Not him,” Obi-wan muttered quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin gently touched his shoulder, “Obi-wan, wake up, it’s just a dream.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan awoke with a gasp. Anakin jumped back as he quickly sat up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was panting and his eyes had a wildness to them as he quickly scanned the room before him. His gaze landed on his startled Padawan. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anakin?” he questioned somewhat breathlessly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright, Master?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Obi-wan said, but even he could hear the unsteadiness in his own voice. “Yes, Anakin. I’m fine,” he said a little firmer this time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t feel fine.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Our bond must be getting stronger, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan thought to himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry if I frightened you, Padawan, but I promise I’m okay. It was just a bad dream. Everything’s alright, you can go back to bed. I’m sorry I disturbed you Ani.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin didn’t seem convinced, but his eyes looked a little far away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Padawan? Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin started to nod, but stopped abruptly, wincing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Padawan, what’s wrong?” Concern colored his tone. Obi-wan swung his legs out of bed and now had his hands on Anakin’s shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I don’t feel good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan had his suspicions. He had gone through the same thing when he first bonded with Qui-gon. A pang of grief hit him at the thought of his Master, but he quickly tried to squash it as he saw Anakin go a few shades paler. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anakin, do you have a headache? Like a really bad headache.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmhmm.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you feel sick?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dizzy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin’s swaying confirmed that yes, the boy was in fact dizzy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan helped Anakin climb into the bed and had him rest against the headboard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry, Padawan.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For what?” Anakin said weakly, his eyes going in and out of focus.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is my fault,” Obi-wan said, clearly upset with himself. “It’s our bond. You’ve never had a Force bond with anyone else. You’re still getting used to having another presence in your mind. The early stages of a Force bond can cause minor headaches, but too much all at once can give you a migraine. I went through the same thing with Qui-gon. He let his shields slip on an early mission in my apprenticeship. I felt much the same way you do now. That’s why I’ve been trying to go slow with us, only lowering my shields a little bit at a time. I’m so sorry Anakin, my shields must have slipped completely.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Will it go away?”</span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, it will go away and it will go away soon, I promise. I’m so sorry, Ani.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay Obi-wan, ‘s not your fault.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Guilt racked through Obi-wan’s body all the same. He quickly regretted that as Anakin somehow turned a shade paler than he already was. Obi-wan quickly levitated a small trash bin to him and held it in front of his Padawan. He rubbed circles on Anakin’s back as he threw up the contents of his stomach into the small bin. He winced in sympathy as tears streamed down Anakin’s face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan left the room to clean out the small bin. After a little while, he returned with some mint tea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, drink this. Slowly.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin sipped on the tea. He normally didn’t care for tea, much to Obi-wan’s dismay, but the strong peppermint was already helping ease his nausea.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan climbed back into the bed and positioned himself so that Anakin could lean against his chest. Anakin tried to center himself around the gentle rise and fall of Obi-wan’s chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong Master?” Anakin finally asked, curious about what could have caused Obi-wan to feel an emotion so strongly it was physically manifesting itself in Anakin’s body.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nothing you need to worry about Anakin.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well it’s affecting me so I think I have the right to worry about it,” he said petulantly. “What happened on your mission? Why did you come back early? What </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span> to you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was relive the awful mission he just went on. Even more than that, he didn’t want to distress Anakin with the details of why this mission had affected him so much – why he was struggling so much to release his fear, his grief, his rage and his pain into the Force. However, a part of him knew that the only way he was likely going to get over this was if he spoke about it. One look at the suffering child in his arms and he made his decision.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Obi-wan tightened his shields as he began his tale of woe.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Three weeks ago.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan waved goodbye to his new Padawan as he boarded the ship with Mace Windu. Despite growing up in the temple, Obi-wan really didn’t know that much about Mace. They hadn’t spent too much time together while Obi-wan apprenticed for Qui-gon and he had never been in a class taught by him. He knew he was reserved, intelligent and one of the most powerful Jedi in the Order, but beyond that, the man remained a mystery.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You need to let go, Kenobi,” Mace said to him as they sat quietly together on their second day of hyperspace travel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry?” Obi-wan questioned, trying to keep a defensive tone out of his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You need to let go of your old Master. Your attachment to him will cause you or someone around you harm. Not only that, but Anakin also needs a Master who is fully present. Someone who can put their full focus and energy into covering the lost ground and smoothing out the rough edges,” Mace said. “If you want to do right by that boy, you will let Qui-gon Jinn go.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>The words stung. He kept his face impassive, but internally Obi-wan wanted to scream. It had been two months</span> <span>since his Master had been slaughtered right in front of him by the first sith in a thousand years. Two months since he whispered his last words, his last orders. </span><em><span>He is the chosen one.</span></em></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Immediately after returning to the temple, Obi-wan had begun training Anakin. He had opened up a bond with him. The last thing Obi-wan wanted to do was overwhelm the child with his own grief. So he pushed it down. He ignored it. He tried not to think about the blood-red lightsaber that pierced a hole in his Master’s chest. He tried not to think about the look of shock on his Master’s face as he fell limp to the floor. He tried not to think about how </span>
  <em>
    <span>helpless </span>
  </em>
  <span>he felt trapped behind the ray shield, unable to do anything to save the man who had treated him like a son for twelve years.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right, Master Windu,” Obi-wan said calmly. “I’ve been focusing on Anakin. I haven’t taken the time to release my feelings into the Force.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget your training, Obi-wan. It keeps us alive. It makes us good Jedi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Master Windu,” Obi-wan said in resignation. “Excuse me, I think I’m going to go meditate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Very good, Kenobi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan walked dejectedly to his small quarters on the ship. He was grateful to have his own space for the three-day-long journey. He sat on his small bed and attempted to let his emotions go into the Force, but some things are harder to let go of than others.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>After three days of travel, the Master and Knight pair had landed on the small, humid planet of Tralus. Obi-wan was anxious to be free of the small spacecraft. Being cooped up in one small space, especially a space he had to share with an ever difficult to read Jedi Master, had made him feel fidgety and claustrophobic. As the pair walked down the ramp of their ship, they were greeted by a small group of representatives from the rebel forces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tralus was not a large planet, but they did have something special. The whole crust of the planet lay on top of an extra durable and extra malleable strain of iron ore that was coveted on industrial planets – planets like Coruscant, Alderaan and Corellia. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mineral made Tralus a wealthy planet. Well, it made it a wealthy planet for some people. The wealthy elite who controlled the mines made more and more money as hundreds of mine workers barely made enough money to feed themselves, let alone their families. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The work in the mines was dangerous. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for a mine to collapse and crush dozens of workers, or for an explosion to decimate everyone in its blast radius. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There had been growing unrest for some time now between the lower-class workers and the upper-class elites. But one event was the final spark to start the rebellion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because the mineworkers were paid so poorly, many families had their older children take jobs in the mines as well. These children ranged from age 13 to 18, most of them were boys, but there were a handful of girls who joined in too. There was a mine that was closer to the surface. The conditions weren’t as hot. It was supposed to be safer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>These safer conditions weren’t enough to stop a gas leak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unbeknownst to the teenagers working the mine, a machine was leaking a noxious, flammable gas into the air for hours. When one of the kids turned on a filtering machine, the spark was enough to set the whole mine ablaze. There were no survivors. Just charred, unidentifiable remains of 27 young men and women. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A group of angry miners took to the wealthy capital city but were quickly subdued by the security droids the elites had in place. They marched back to their village, licking their wounds, but they weren’t going to be put down so easily. The rebels got together. They organized. They launched a more successful attack on the capital city. They bombed a communications hub. Only security droids were harmed in the blast.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Only then, did the wealthy elite start taking the rebellion seriously. They hired a mercenary army and beefed up their security droids. The rebels and elites had been in a bloody civil war ever since.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rebels were losing. They were being slaughtered, just like their children had been. The wealthy elites in the city were also unhappy. With the rebels fighting against them, there was no one working the mines, meaning no exports and some very unhappy buyers. Both sides were ready to negotiate peace and representatives from either side had tried to draw up a truce. Neither side budged. That’s when the representatives decided to call in the help of the Jedi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah, the leader of the rebellion, stood before the Jedi ship, waiting anxiously for the mystical people who would hopefully work to make a substantial change on Tralus. He watched as an older, dark-skinned man walked down the ramp of the ship that had landed on the outskirts of the village. He had an intimidating presence which was only intensified by the hilt of a lightsaber hanging on his hip. The first Jedi was followed closely by a very young-looking man with short, strawberry-blond hair. This Jedi also had a strong presence about him, but his eyes looked kinder and more sympathetic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Jedi, thank you both for coming to Tralus,” Jonah said by way of greeting. “My name is Jonah, I am the one who requested your presence from the side of the rebellion.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m Master Jedi Mace Windu, and this is Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi,” said the dark-skinned Jedi.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re a bit younger than I anticipated,” Jonah said to Obi-wan, but his tone was not unkind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan is one of the order’s best,” Mace said. “He’s young but he’s already proven himself with a blade and he has quite the silver tongue.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan flushed at the rare praise from Mace Windu.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well hopefully he will only need to use his silver tongue then,” Jonah said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope so too,” Mace said solemnly. “I hate to cut our meeting short, but I’m heading to the city. I will be working with the elites and Obi-wan will be working with the rebellion. We’re going to familiarize ourselves with each of your sides and then we will reconvene and hold peace talks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to see you go, Master Jedi. I look forward to reconvening in five days.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“May the Force be with you,” Mace said by way of farewell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan nodded to him and as Mace walked away, he turned his attention back to Jonah.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rebellion leader looked to be in his late forties. His brown eyes were dark and full of sorrow, but his face was lined with crow’s feet and smile lines. He was a little taller than Obi-wan and his brunette hair was graying on the sides. His presence in the Force commanded respect, but showed the man was kind at heart. Obi-wan could sense an air of tragedy about him, like he had lost something dear to him recently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan took in their surroundings. They were in a slightly wooded area, but Obi-wan could see a small village just a little ways off. The humid air was only intensifying the heat and sweat was already forming on his brow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah led him towards his village. They entered a very small home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You will be staying with us,” Jonah said. “I’m sorry it’s not much, but it’s the best we can offer you right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is more than enough, thank you, Jonah,” Obi-wan said politely. The house was run-down, but it was far from the worst place Obi-wan had ever stayed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A woman about Jonah’s age entered from a back room. Sorrow emanated from her Force presence. She had long brunette hair and bright blue eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“These must be the Jedi,” she said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eliza, this is Jedi Knight Obi-wan Kenobi. Obi-wan, this is my wife Eliza”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s very nice to meet you,” Eliza said. “Please, get settled in and then join us for dinner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah led him to the small room Eliza had emerged from. There were two small beds. Obi-wan lay his travel bag on the one closest to the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nobody has been in this room for some time,” Jonah said solemnly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?” Obi-wan inquired.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This room belonged to my sons. Twins. Both were taken from me when the mine exploded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan nodded in understanding. “I’m terribly sorry for what has happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need to be. We just need your help to stop this from ever happening to anyone else’s children.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah left Obi-wan to get settled in. He unpacked his travel bag which mostly consisted of a few changes of clothes. He sat on the bed to meditate until Eliza called him in for dinner.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner was a small cup of brothy soup for each of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry we can’t give you more,” Eliza said. “As a town, we’ve been pooling together and rationing what little food we have. Most of the food goes to the children. We just have to make due.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Obi-wan said placatingly. “As a Jedi, I don’t need to eat as much. I can draw strength from the Force. It can keep me going for some time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan wasn’t lying. He could genuinely draw strength from the Force to keep himself alive for longer than a non-Force-sensitive human could. Of course, without proper food, water and sleep Obi-wan would crash like any regular human, but he could certainly go for longer. Even if he didn’t have the strength of the Force backing him up, he was unwilling to take more than he needed from these people who were clearly suffering.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he lay in bed that night, he tried to ignore the gnawing ache in his stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! I'll post the last four chapters tomorrow! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Peace Talks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>If Obi-wan thought it was hot on the planet’s surface, he wasn’t prepared for the heat just below it. The air inside the mine was stifling and he regretted layering his robe over his tunic. Jonah and other members of the village were taking him on a full tour of the town and the town’s mines. They also showed him all of the machinery they used in the mines.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Anakin would love this.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In spite of himself, Obi-wan missed the boy. He could be a handful, but Obi-wan wasn’t used to not having another strong presence in the Force around him. A pang of loneliness reverberated through him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, Obi-wan wasn’t truly alone. He spent most of his time with Jonah. The man was an idealist and certainly didn’t seem the type to wish for violence – only justice. Obi-wan knew he was supposed to be there as an objective third-party, but he secretly liked Jonah. He sympathized with the side of the rebellion, but he kept those thoughts to himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Over the course of the five days in the village, Obi-wan visited with members of the town and got to know it’s people and why they were fighting for what they were fighting for. He met with each of the families who lost loved ones in the mine explosion and in other similar accidents. By the fifth night, he was emotionally exhausted. He tried to let the grief of the people wash </span>
  <em>
    <span>over</span>
  </em>
  <span> him, but he couldn’t help but let it wash </span>
  <em>
    <span>through</span>
  </em>
  <span> him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was also physically exhausted. He had been relying more heavily on the Force for more energy. Rations were small and he often skipped meals. He felt guilty anytime he took </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>from these people. They were clearly starving and while he was uncomfortable for now, he knew he would eventually be getting on a ship and heading back to Coruscant where he could eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. These people didn’t have that luxury. So, he ignored the hunger pangs. That night he fell asleep rehearsing his talking points for the formal peace talks he would have the next day.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan felt disgusted as he walked through the decadent halls of the capital city's justice building. Jonah was at his side and he tried to portray confidence as he strode through the opulent halls. The floors were made of pristine white marble and his boots made rhythmic clicking sounds that echoed through the hallway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Jedi and the rebel leader were led into a conference room by two armed guards. Jonah eyed them warily but Obi-wan remained stone-faced. When they entered the room, they laid eyes on Mace Windu and four representatives of the elites. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re outnumbered, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan thought to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mace looked intently at Obi-wan. He tried to ignore the older Jedi’s intense gaze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, gentlemen. It is nice to see you both again,” Mace finally said, breaking the tense silence that lay heavy in the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Master Windu, gentlemen,” Obi-wan said in formal reply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After some formal introductions, the peace talks began relatively smoothly. One by one, Obi-wan worked through a list of demands the rebels had for the elites. There was much debate, but Mace hadn’t been exaggerating when he said Obi-wan had a silver tongue. He balanced the serious matter at hand with a layer of charisma and magnetism that seemed to come naturally to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was only one detractor. One person who didn’t seem to be caught off-guard by Obi-wan’s signature wit and charm, an elite by the name of Warren. He slowed the discussions with his constant rebuttals and leading questions. Obi-wan didn’t let his frustration at the man show, but Mace could certainly feel it in the Force. The talks went on for hours until finally they broke for a short recess. Everyone got up to stretch their legs. Obi-wan and Mace stepped out into a small courtyard together. They were alone for the first time since they landed on the planet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, are you alright?” Mace didn’t bother with small talk or pleasantries. He had noticed immediately when the young Jedi walked in that he looked paler and like he had lost a few pounds, even in just the short five days they had been apart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine Master Windu.” Obi-wan really didn’t want to have this discussion with the older Jedi right now. The talks had been going on for hours and his energy was waning. He was running on energy from the Force, but he knew he was pushing it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, you don’t look well. Luckily, I don’t think the others have noticed, because they don’t know you. But I know you, and you don’t look yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really, I’m okay Master Windu. Nothing I can’t handle.” Obi-wan was vaguely confused by Mace’s show of concern for him. Mace really</span>
  <em>
    <span> didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> know him that well, and from what Obi-wan could tell, the older Jedi Master wasn’t overly fond of him either. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s good. I need you in prime condition for these peace talks. Coruscant and many other planets rely on the resources that come from this one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, there it is, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan thought to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two returned back to the conference room. As everyone returned, talks picked back up again. Warren still acted the role of the contrarian, but Obi-wan’s charm didn’t falter. About an hour passed before servant droids brought out heaping plates of food for everyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They all paused formal discussions to eat their evening meals. This was the first real meal Obi-wan would be having since he got off the ship. Obi-wan found he was only able to eat a small portion of the food before him. Mace eyed him when he set his fork down. Not wanting to appear rude, he picked his fork back up and thickly swallowed a few more bites. The rich meats and well-seasoned vegetables were delicious, but they sat heavy in Obi-wan’s stomach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He ignored his rising nausea in favor of polite discussion with the representatives. Warren was the only one who didn’t seem to participate in the discussions. He only fixed a glare on Jonah and Obi-wan.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After dinner, talks resumed. This is when everything started to fall apart. Warren said something that struck a chord with the other representatives – now they were all against the rebellion’s wishes, even the ones they had already agreed upon. Jonah’s tone elevated, which only spurred them on. Even Mace’s calm presence and Obi-wan’s charisma couldn’t smooth the tension in the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe we should reconvene in five days,” Mace said during a break in the shouting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I believe that would be best. Come on Jonah,” Obi-wan grabbed Jonah and practically dragged him out of the conference room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was wonderful to meet you, gentlemen,” Obi-wan said by way of parting. He hoped it sounded sincere, but he couldn’t hide the edge in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Negotiator</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>On the long walk back to the village, Obi-wan and Jonah remained mostly silent. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan was disappointed. He really wanted to get the miners and the people in the village the rights they deserved. Selfishly, he wanted to get it for them now so he could return home sooner than planned and surprise Anakin. That didn’t look like it was going to happen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright Jonah,” Obi-wan said. “I won’t leave until we reach an agreement.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re an honorable man, Obi-wan,” Jonah said. “I know the Jedi only came out here because our resources are valuable to the core worlds, but I can tell you don’t really care about that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> just metal,” Obi-wan said with a wry smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tension broken, the two bantered with each other the rest of the walk to the village. Obi-wan felt that pang of loneliness ease inside of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yes, he had failed today. But it wasn’t over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was that thought that drove him over the course of the next five days. He perfected his talking points, synthesized his arguments and made notes to address the biggest concerns of the elite. Food was still scarce but he ignored his own hunger. Every time he looked into Eliza’s sorrowful eyes or every time he saw the too defined rib cage of a child, he was spurred on. He was determined to finish this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time they returned to the conference hall, it was the Force and a good amount of spite keeping Obi-wan upright. Mace eyed him warily. Obi-wan ignored his penetrative gaze.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the peace talks commenced, Obi-wan did everything right. He let his silver-tongue do all the work, and he could tell he was winning over the elites. All of them except Warren. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warren remained the only unmoving delegate. He was unwilling to give up </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan tried over and over to get the man to compromise but to no avail. Even the other elites were frustrated with Warren’s stubbornness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I say we come to a vote,” one of the delegates finally declared after hours of deliberations. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everyone in favor of The Kenobi Compromise, say ‘aye.’”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan felt a little bashful that the whole affair was being named after him, but he steeled his expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aye,” said all parties except for Warren. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s settled then. Majority rule. We will meet the demands of the rebels and the rebels will resume peacefully tending the mines,” Mace said definitively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Mace and Obi-wan shot each other grateful looks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m pleased with the outcome of events here, young Kenobi,” Mace said to him privately. “It’s in large part due to your skills as a negotiator. I’m not sure where you got your patience from, as you surely didn’t get it from your Master.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan knew Mace meant it in a light-hearted way, but his triumphant mood dipped a little at the mention of Qui-gon. He didn’t let it show.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Master Windu. I’m glad we were able to finish earlier than expected. I’m eager to resume training with Anakin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah yes, you’ll definitely need your patience with that one. He certainly seems a handful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That he is, Master.” Obi-wan shot Mace a wry smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s late, Kenobi. Why don’t you head back to the village with Jonah? Get some rest, you look like you’re going to pass out at any minute. I’ll pick you up first thing tomorrow morning and we’ll return back to that Padawan of yours, alright?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan nodded in agreement and the two Jedi parted. Obi-wan signaled to Jonah to follow him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pair stepped into the stifling heat and humidity outside of the halls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to thank you for all of your help, Obi-wan. Without your presence, I don’t think we would have ever been able to get through to the elites,” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Obi-wan said a little awkwardly. “As a Jedi, I’m supposed to remain impartial, but I was very glad when we were able to achieve all of the rebellion’s demands. Regardless of the materials that come from this planet, it’s people will always be more valuable.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah paused and looked Obi-wan in the eyes. “I’ve watched you over the past two weeks. You’ve worked tirelessly for us. You’ve sacrificed for us. You’re a good Jedi, but you’re a great man.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even with only the glow of the moonlight, Obi-wan couldn’t hide the crimson blush on his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Jonah.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two walked in comfortable silence for sometime before Obi-wan felt a flare in the Force. He flung his arm out across Jonah, halting him in his place. Free hand on the hilt of his lightsaber, he looked around intently. In the dark, he couldn’t see much, but he sensed several other beings surrounding them in the Force.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He drew his lightsaber just as an electrified spear came flying towards his head. With ease, he cut it in half, but his troubles weren’t over. Out of the darkness, a half dozen mercenaries quickly surrounded them and began their assault with a variety of weaponry. He turned to Jonah and saw that he had drawn only a small dagger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It will have to do.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a speed and a skill level Jonah didn’t think humanly possible, Obi-wan deflected blaster bolts, electrified spears and an electrified chain whip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Get out of here!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan yelled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jonah tried, but the mercenaries had them surrounded. They were highly skilled and likely well-paid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mercenaries focused their attacks on Obi-wan. Running on little more than the Force, he was tiring quickly. Obi-wan managed to cut down a few of them, but they kept piling onto him. A mercenary with an electrified chain whip managed to slip past Obi-wan’s defenses and the whip wrapped itself around his right wrist. The shock from the whip caused him to drop his lightsaber. Another mercenary got him by the other wrist with a similar whip. He fought desperately against his bonds, but the shock made it hard for him to move or even form coherent, strategic thoughts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His newfound captors pulled Obi-wan around so he could see Jonah, similarly bound by the whips. Before Obi-wan’s eyes, a mercenary approached Jonah and plunged a spear through his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Obi-wan screamed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watched in horror as the same look of shock and pain that had not long ago crossed Qui-gon’s face, passed over Jonah’s. He felt as though he were trapped in some sick, twisted nightmare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In one final show of strength, Obi-wan gathered the Force around him. He used it to push his attackers off of him. He summoned his lightsaber to his hand and cut down the mercenaries that had been holding him captive. In the back of his mind, he vaguely felt the burns on his wrists from the electric whips but he ignored it. He ran towards Jonah and struck fatal blows to the mercenaries who had been holding him down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One mercenary remained.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who paid for you?” Obi-wan growled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was delegate Warren! Please, Master Jedi, let me go! It wasn’t a personal attack, I was just doing a job!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan swung his lightsaber down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mercenary screamed in agony as his right arm fell to the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Find a new job,” Obi-wan said, all emotion gone from his voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mercenary took off into the forest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan deactivated his lightsaber and staggered over to Jonah. He fell heavily to his knees next to the dying leader of the rebellion. He cradled his body onto his lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let the peace fall through, Obi-wan,” Jonah gasped out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t, I won't, I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell Eliza I love her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only… peace…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the second time in two months, Obi-wan felt the life escaping the body of a dying man he held in his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Energy faded, he couldn’t really bring himself to feel anything. He shakily got to his feet and pulled Jonah over his shoulder. He staggered slightly at the added weight but gained his footing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He made his way back towards the capital city. Exhaustion colored his every movement but he pressed on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he finally approached the city, the security guards saw him. They recognized him from before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sir, can we help you? What’s going on?” one of the guards questioned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get Master Windu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One of the guards hurried off and the other came to Obi-wan’s aid. He helped him lay Jonah’s body down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan sat on the ground and leaned against the wall, panting heavily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know how much time had passed, but suddenly Mace Windu was at his side. He could hear what vaguely sounded like someone calling his name.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes focused and he settled his gaze on Mace’s concerned face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was… I don’t… Warren…” Obi-wan muttered out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mace started examining Obi-wan’s shoulder. Obi-wan looked at him with confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hurt, Mace.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then what is this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan looked down at his shoulder. The tan cloth of his tunic was soaked in blood. Realization struck him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guards took Jonah’s body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey… Hey! Where are you taking him?” Obi-wan said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Sir. We’ll take care of him. We’ll make sure he’s returned to his family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan nodded in resignation. The guards were sympathetic to the cause of the rebellion, they were just doing a job. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mace helped Obi-wan to his feet and ushered him back inside the justice building and sat him down at the table inside the conference room they had spent so many hours in earlier. Mace looked Obi-wan up and down. Physically, he didn’t look too badly hurt except for some burns on his wrists. He was paler than normal and he looked even skinnier than he had the week before. His blue-grey eyes looked haunted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, what happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were attacked. Warren sent a group of mercenaries after us… I… I couldn’t hold all of them off… they killed him in the same way…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In the same way as what, Kenobi?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They killed him in the same way Qui-gon was killed. The same exact way, except there were more of them. I could do nothing, Mace. It was just like before…” Obi-wan panted breathlessly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Calm yourself. Center yourself in the Force.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small flame of anger ignited within him, but he quickly realized he didn’t have the strength to keep it lit. Instead, he let a sad resignation fall over him. “Yes, Master Windu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, I want you to go back to Coruscant without me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan looked at him in shock. “What? Master, we need to make sure the demands of the rebels are met, we need to ensure peace!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can do that just fine without you young one,” Mace said. “You have done more than enough. I’ll make sure it goes through, I promise.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan sensed sincerity behind his words. He didn’t have much energy to argue anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guard who had first spotted Obi-wan approaching the city suddenly appeared before them again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I brought you this sir,” the guard said, handing Obi-wan a plate with a small sandwich on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, you’re very kind,” Obi-wan said earnestly to the man. The guard left and Obi-wan just stared off into the middle distance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, please eat something. You’re malnourished as it is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay, Mace. I don’t feel like eating anything.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Knight Kenobi, I’m ordering you to eat something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He ate about half of the sandwich before he started to feel sick. Mace wasn’t too happy about this, but he decided to let it go. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you should return to Coruscant now. I see no reason why you should wait until morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but I need to return to the village first.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I need to tell Eliza what has happened. She should hear it from me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s very thoughtful of you Kenobi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye Mace. I will see you on Coruscant.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Obi-wan. May the Force be with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Flight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obi-wan took the ship to the village. He landed in the same clearing as before and slowly made his way to Eliza’s home. His feet felt like lead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knocked on the front door. He didn’t have the energy to unlock it with the Force like he had been doing throughout his stay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a confused expression, Eliza opened the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan?” she questioned in tired surprise. “It’s late, I figure you and Jonah were staying in the city tonight.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She paused. She looked at the pale and tired Jedi standing before her. She saw a look of defeat in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. She saw the dried blood on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan what happened? Are you alright? Where’s Jonah?” her tone got more frantic with each question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We won. The rebels won. But… but we were attacked. Jonah and I, we were coming home… we were so close and…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unshed tears filled his eyes and blurred his vision. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t stop it. I tried Eliza, I swear to you I tried.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan, where is Jonah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eliza, I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Realization dawned on her. She crumpled in on herself before leaning forward and wrapping her fists in Obi-wan’s tunic. She buried her head in his chest and wailed. Obi-wan wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking frame. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan guided her to the small sofa. They sat together, Eliza quietly sobbing into his chest. He sat stoically by her side for some time, stroking her hair and rubbing circles on her back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a while, Eliza seemed to calm slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What will you do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan looked at her ruefully. “I’m to return to Coruscant tonight. Master Windu will stay and make sure the rebels' demands are met. Your husband won’t have died in vain, I promise you this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you tried everything you could. Do not blame yourself for this, please.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan felt his insides breaking. “Still,” he said after a pause. “I’m truly sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He numbly stood up and gathered the few belongings he had. He changed into a clean tunic and robe, stuffing the blood-soaked one into his travel bag. He said his goodbyes to Eliza and headed back towards his ship.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the ship, he let out a harsh breath he had been holding. He set his small bag down and got to work on getting the ship up in the air. He set course for Coruscant, grateful that once the ship was in hyperspace, it could stay on autopilot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once the ship was on autopilot, Obi-wan made his way back to his small quarters and lay on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep with the images of what he had seen racing through his head. He stayed in his quarters for most of the journey back. He barely ate, barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Qui-gon’s look of shocked surprise as a shining, red lightsaber extinguished his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ship was cold and lonely without anyone else on it. Even Mace’s presence would have helped to make the ship feel less </span>
  <em>
    <span>empty. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obi-wan once again silently wished he had Anakin with him. He was so full of life and energy. His presence in the Force and in life was so loud and volatile. Alone on the ship, Obi-wan felt oppressed by the silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt great relief as the ship notified him that it would be exiting hyperspace in thirty minutes. He took over piloting and within the hour he landed on the temple’s loading dock. He was grateful that night had already fallen on Coruscant. It was late, but not too late for Anakin to still be awake. He hoped to see him before going to bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he strode through the familiar halls, exhaustion really started to set in. He ignored the glances of his fellow Jedi as he made his way towards his small apartment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He quietly opened the front door and gently closed it behind him. If Anakin </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> asleep, he didn’t want to wake him. Obi-wan’s concerns were squashed, however. He barely registered an excited shout of his name before his Padawan came barreling into him. He half leaned, half crashed backward into the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Anakin.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was exhausted, he was grieving, but he was glad to be home.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Present</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obi-wan concluded his story. He had, of course, left out some of the details. Anakin didn’t need to know about the mostly-healed burns on his wrists or how he had barely eaten the entire time he was gone. He had struggled to get through the part where Jonah was killed in front of him. He took several long pauses while he was telling that part of the story, but Anakin seemed to understand. The boy had remained mostly silent throughout his tale. Whether that was because he was still feeling ill or because he was actually interested, Obi-wan wasn’t sure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Ani?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was your dream about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan took in a sharp breath. He didn’t want to think about the dream, </span>
  <em>
    <span>the nightmare, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that had caused him to bring harm upon his Padawan in the first place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In… in my dream, it was you.” Obi-wan finally stuttered out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean ‘it was me’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In my dream, I was back on Naboo. I was chasing after the sith with Qui-gon. I was caught in the ray shield, just like before.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh,” Anakin prodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I looked out through the ray shield, Qui-gon was no longer there. It was you. The sith plunged his blade through </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>chest and I couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>move</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I couldn’t get to you, I couldn’t save you, I couldn’t do anything!” Obi-wan’s voice raised a few octaves and his breaths started to come a little faster. Tears brimmed in his eyes, but he swiped them away before they could escape. “I was scared I had already lost you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anakin reached his hand out and grabbed onto Obi-wan’s larger hand and squeezed it gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Obi-wan. I get scared too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan’s breath hitched as he stifled a sob. He ran his free hand through Anakin’s hair. “Thank you, Padawan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Obi-wan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow can we go to Dex’s? We haven’t seen him in a long time and I’m sure he misses you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan knew what Anakin was doing, but he didn’t really care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Padawan, we can go to Dex’s.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can we also do some lightsaber training? You promised!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Obi-wan laughed a genuine laugh for the first time in days. “Yes, Anakin, we can do some lightsaber training.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat in comfortable silence together. Anakin, still leaning against Obi-wan, moved up and down with the rise and fall of his chest. Anakin found the gentle motion calming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Together they sat like that, just listening to the other breathe before Master and Apprentice both fell asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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